Aspiring Ohio GOP Chair Uses Own Funds for Taxes

A contender for Ohio Republican Party chairman says his disagreement with the government over what taxes he owed led him to rack up years of back debt, not a lack of money.

GOP Executive Director Matthew Borges told The Associated Press Thursday he withheld years of tax payments to prevent the money from going toward a 2007 tax lien related to a home sale that he was disputing.

Borges says once that disagreement was resolved he was able to pay more than $24,300 in state taxes from personal funds. He says he paid $124,200 in federal tax liens Thursday.

Several Republican state officials say they weren't aware of his tax liens before backing Borges for chairman. He was working to resolve the debts before Friday's vote.